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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| French sportsman guilty of murder | French sportsman guilty of murder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former French rugby captain Marc Cecillon has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for murdering his wife. | Former French rugby captain Marc Cecillon has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for murdering his wife. |
| Cecillon, 47, had admitted shooting his wife, Chantal, with a revolver at a party in 2004 but had denied murder. | Cecillon, 47, had admitted shooting his wife, Chantal, with a revolver at a party in 2004 but had denied murder. |
| Cecillon, who won 46 caps for France between 1988 and 1995, said he was depressed and drunk at the time and did not intend to kill her. | Cecillon, who won 46 caps for France between 1988 and 1995, said he was depressed and drunk at the time and did not intend to kill her. |
| But the court in Isere found him guilty of murder, rather than the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. | But the court in Isere found him guilty of murder, rather than the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. |
| His 20-year sentence was five years longer than that requested by the prosecution. | His 20-year sentence was five years longer than that requested by the prosecution. |
| The case has received huge media coverage in France. | The case has received huge media coverage in France. |
| 'Crime of passion' | 'Crime of passion' |
| Summing up on Friday, prosecutor Francoise Pavan-Dubois said Cecillon had not acted on the spur of the moment but had planned to kill his wife. | Summing up on Friday, prosecutor Francoise Pavan-Dubois said Cecillon had not acted on the spur of the moment but had planned to kill his wife. |
| Why did I shoot? It is a question I shall ask myself all my life Marc Cecillon in court The hardest tackle | Why did I shoot? It is a question I shall ask myself all my life Marc Cecillon in court The hardest tackle |
| Cecillon shot his wife five times at point-blank range during a garden party in the town of Saint-Savin on 7 August 2004. | Cecillon shot his wife five times at point-blank range during a garden party in the town of Saint-Savin on 7 August 2004. |
| He was reported to have arrived at the party drunk and slapped the hostess for no apparent reason before being asked to leave. | He was reported to have arrived at the party drunk and slapped the hostess for no apparent reason before being asked to leave. |
| Mrs Cecillon refused to leave with him, the court heard. He went home and returned shortly afterwards, when he pulled out a Magnum handgun and shot her in the presence of about 60 witnesses. | Mrs Cecillon refused to leave with him, the court heard. He went home and returned shortly afterwards, when he pulled out a Magnum handgun and shot her in the presence of about 60 witnesses. |
| "I wanted my wife to come back with me. I wanted the two of us to leave together," he said in court. | "I wanted my wife to come back with me. I wanted the two of us to leave together," he said in court. |
| "Why did I shoot? It is a question I shall ask myself all my life. I didn't plan anything. I wish I could understand." | "Why did I shoot? It is a question I shall ask myself all my life. I didn't plan anything. I wish I could understand." |
| A dozen people struggled to overpower the 1.92m-tall (6ft 4in) sportsman before police arrived. | A dozen people struggled to overpower the 1.92m-tall (6ft 4in) sportsman before police arrived. |
| Clemency plea | Clemency plea |
| His lawyers said it was a crime of passion, committed under the influence of alcohol. | His lawyers said it was a crime of passion, committed under the influence of alcohol. |
| They argued that the incident happened while the former captain - described as "the calm man of rugby" - was in the grip of depression sparked by his retirement as a top sportsman. | They argued that the incident happened while the former captain - described as "the calm man of rugby" - was in the grip of depression sparked by his retirement as a top sportsman. |
| During an emotional intervention in court, Cecillon's 26-year-old daughter Angelique, who had not spoken to her father since the murder, began sobbing. | |
| "I don't think my father intended to kill my mother," she said. | "I don't think my father intended to kill my mother," she said. |
| She then begged the jury to show clemency, telling them that she missed both her parents and that her father had already been punished enough. | She then begged the jury to show clemency, telling them that she missed both her parents and that her father had already been punished enough. |